Getting current again (student status)

[frogerina 0]

So I am almost to my A License...and it's snowing, with non-student-legal winds forecast for the weekend (I know weather can change...I'm doing my warm sunshine dance!). Weather and life may conspire to end my skydiving season... I have the final coach jumps, check dive, some parachute maintenance stuff and the exam between me and being a licensed skydiver.

So I know the SIM lists the procedures for an A licensed skydiver to regain currency (do a jump w/USPA Instructor supervision if more than 10 weeks inactive, do a Cat D jump w/Instructor if more than 4 months)...but what about an almost finished student? If I end up unable to jump again until spring (way more than 30 days, at least...), will I need to start this whole thing over again? (Or at least sit through a FJC, then move on to whatever Cat jump my instructor thinks is right?) I'm really not a fan of the cold...but would love to know what I'm looking at for next spring if I'm unable to get this work done in the next few weeks.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Quote

sit through a FJC, then move on to whatever Cat jump my instructor thinks is right?

That is pretty likely what will happen.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[JackieEllis 0]

Yep, what Glideangle said. Frustrating I know. Some things you can do to help yourself: Read over the SIM and know your stuff at the start of the season next year. If you have one close, or you want to take a quick vacation somewhere, buy yourself some coached tunnel time, preferably close to the beginning of the season.

The good news is that most DZs won't charge the full FJC fee for a refresher. There's also nothing stopping you from going and hanging out at the DZ. It's amazing how much information your instructors will provide you during the winter. PS. Your instructors hate the cold as much as you.

[DrDom 0]

yeah, I'll not clear to solo before end of year, probably end up doing another FJC. Its money but... hey... I guess hearing it twice cant hurt ;)

Im just wondering how many levels they will make me redo... but hey, its only money and i'll at least be jumping i guess!

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[zoobrothertom 5]

Hang in there buddy! In the end it will all be fine.

Back in the early 80's, I was a dedicated student for 10 months. I owned my gear and spent every weekend at the DZ.
Because I was there watching the wind, snow & rain I learned to pack (rounds & squares +100) & learned all I could. It really paid off later.

Enjoy!

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Student currency requirements are in the SIM too. Sec 5-2 A. 30 days is the time frame.

The rules are kind of vague, because it's pretty subjective. 45 days wouldn't need a whole lot of retraining, a whole winter is a different story.

It's something we all have to deal with here in the upper Midwest. Safety day is a good place to start.

But the real place to ask this question is at your DZ. They know what they want to see for currency training, regardless of what everyone on here suggests (not that the suggestions are wrong, they just aren't there).

Soooo....
Having said "ignore the suggestions you get here" here are mine.

General suggestion is to redo the last level you successfully completed.
It's a very good idea to sit through the FJC again. A lot of places will allow you to sit through it for little or no cost if you are a regular (again, ask the DZ).
A good review of EPs in the hanging harness is also a good idea (often a part of Safety Day).

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[DrDom 0]

I know I have to take a recurrence class at SNE in the spring if I don't jump. It isn't that inconvenient and... hey... its good bonding time with people I haven't seen all winter.

If they tell me I have to start at step 1... I don't even really care as long as I can will myself out that door back to bliss.

New ENgland can be as bad as the midwest: Weather can be awesome or a complete disaster...

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[ChrisD 0]

Orange will be open for another month, hopefully. Everyone up there has been getting devastated by this years really bad weather, everyone!

Another possibility is CPI.

And another possibility is to take a trip to DeLand. I wuld have said Florida or CA but coming to DeLand is better....

C



Don't let it get to ya, It's all good!!!

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

[DrDom 0]

may end up in Lodi, CA in early spring... who knows :)

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[SivaGanesha 2]

frogerina

If I end up unable to jump again until spring (way more than 30 days, at least...), will I need to start this whole thing over again?

Your experience may well end up being different, but I can give a couple of data points as to what my DZ did re recurrency, both times after layoffs of about 2 years:

First recurrency jump: with 4 jumps, and Cat A being the highest level successfully completed, I needed to sit through the whole FJC although I was charged only for a refresher. On the jump itself, I was allowed to do a Cat B and passed.

Second recurrency jump: with 60 jumps, I had obviously been close to my 'A' license, but never quite completed it. Did a much briefer recurrency. The recurrency involved a thorough review of flying the pattern, emergency procedures, and gear checks--but was much more perfunctory on other points. Dive flow like a coach jump and the instructor is open, to a degree, to suggestions from the student as to what to focus on on the jump.

I now need to do ANOTHER recurrency jump this weekend, but this time I do officially have my 'A'. I'm guessing it will be similar to the second recurrency jump I've noted.

But, again, each DZ has the discretion to determine their exact procedures for recurrency jumps.

"It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014